Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Jobs jobs jobs

In the past week, I have seen two fantastic job announcements that would be a great fit for me... in like a year when I'm actually almost done with my Ph.D. One of them combines two totally separate things I worked on in a way I could not have imagined, but it's perfect! Well, it will be perfect for me in a year.

I mentioned this to Leo and he told me I should apply now. I was shocked. He said that he wasn't finished with his dissertation when he applied for and was offered his job at the museum. He already had 3 publications, called a committee meeting, and said, "What do I need to do to get out of here?". They told him what he had to do, and he defended 3 months later. Let me be clear: I do not have 3 publications and I am planning to finish a year and a half from now. I think it would be crazy to apply now. I don't think I could possibly finish in less than a year. Furthermore, I have 1.5 years of funding left on my fellowship. That doesn't pay as much as the job (the starting salary is more than our combined income!), but if I left I'd have to forfeit the remaining funds. That seems like a shame.

But back to the main point- I don't think I'm ready yet. A year from now? Yes, definitely. Maybe the position will be available again. Maybe not. Oh well.

I've always kept an eye out for jobs that I found interesting. I have a folder full of job descriptions copied and pasted from ECOLOG-L or other sources. I figure it might be helpful to go through them when I get closer to being on the market to get a better sense of what appeals to me and why. This particular job goes at the top of the list! It's even in the right part of the country...

10 comments:

African Fieldworker
said...

I'm right there with you...I will be finishing next year and on the job/postdoc market in the fall. There are a couple of jobs I'd love to apply for this year, but no way am I ready for that, even though I could have pushed out a graduation this spring (if I'd planned it and done some things differently- basically I have not gone full speed ahead on the dis, opting to do conferences and build up to publications before I finish. That and out of my control advisor situation from hell that I have rectified by switching, which has cost me time). Honestly, I (pessimistically? realistically?) have decided to just shrug it off cause I don't think I'll be getting a job after I graduate...I'll have to do a postdoc first anyhow...

Isn't a postdoc a job too? I think it is! I mean, they'll be paying you to do something!

I don't think Herb would be supportive of me leaving quickly because he wants his students to try and publish as much of their dissertation as they can before moving on, when the likelihood that it even gets published decreases considerably.

I say go for it! You never know how long it could take them to actually fill the job. Sometimes budgets get put on hold until the following year, etc. Or, they might initially pick someone else, and that might fall through, and then by the time they get back to you you could be close to finishing. If it is a perfect fit for you then you may as well give it a go. If only to get on their radar.

I agree with gigirose. It doesn't hurt you to apply. You get the experience and you get your name out there. Some jobs, especially professorships (don't know if these are), can take a really long time to fill. Also, if they think you are perfect for them, they could temporarily fill the position with someone they already have, and then the job would be there for you in a year. You never know who they could fill the job with for a year. I've seen places fill jobs for a year with a not-as-qualified person which is a stepping stone for that person, a spouse of someone else who works there, in-house people who can cover the job temporarily while doing their own job, etc. Go for it! What do you have to lose?

I agree-- it wouldn't hurt to just apply. It would be worth the potential networking, and it would be a good 'practice run' for when you actually start applying in earnest for jobs. Plus, like others have said, oftentimes positions are posted long before they need to be filled. Professors are sometimes hired for a position but don't actually begin working at a university for an additional year. I'm not sure what they job you're applying for will be like, but really, what's the harm in giving it a go? You never know!

About Me

Thirty-something PhD in ecology & evolution, now outside of academia. I've been blogging since the summer before I started grad school, and this blog is about my adventures negotiating the waters of science, becoming a parent, and my life in general.

What? Who?

Jon- my husband

Adele- my daughter born in May 2013

Hometown- As in Jon's Hometown, where we moved in December 2013 to be near his family

Exciting Non-Profit (ENP)- where I work

Big City- where we lived during my Ph.D.U of Big City (UBC)- my graduate institutionUkenzagapia- fictitious African country where I did my Ph.D. research, at my field site NyotaSam- my de facto Ph.D. advisor

Herb- my Ph.D. advisor from U of Big CitySmall Friendly College (SFC)- where I got my B.A. in Biology